Improvement in extension scaffolds



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. Letters Patent No. 109,012, dated November 8, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT INv EXTENSION SCAFFOLDS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom tt may concern Beit knownthat I, JOHN HUGHES, of N ew Berne, in the county of Craven and State of North Carolina,

, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Extension Scaffolds; Vand I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making apartof' this `specification, and to the' letters and figures of`;ref`er ence marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a top view of my inven. tion, with the platforms removed.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section ofthe same.

-My invention has relation to an improvement in step-ladders, andconsists in the construction a'nd novel arrangement of an extension-frame and a platform, designed to serve also as an elicient brace. These attachments enable the step-ladder to be used as a scaffold for painting or other purposes, when desirable.

Ihe letter A of the drawing'designatcs the stepladder, the upper step of whichis provided with a box, b, for the insertion or" one end of the extension-frame.

B represents t-he hinged legs, which, when the invent-ion is employed simply as a stepladder, are brought up immediately'in rear of the steps A, and serve to' designates the extension-iramc, which may be composed of crossfbars, pivoted together at their centers and ends, as shown in the drawing. Or the extension-frame may becomposed of longitndinal'slides, placed in parallel positions with each other, in the manner of the slides'of an extension-table.A A'

The slides or cross-bars of the extension-frameare arranged in such a manner that, when the'inner ends lis ready for use.

of the boxes b and O are brought in contact, the extension-frame will be. closed and compactly stowed within the boxes, The two sections, being secured together by suitable hooks and staples, constitute astep-ladder.'

H represents a platform, consisting of one or more boards.

On the underside of Athe platform, at each end there-A of, are secured the transverse cleats h h', sufficiently distant from each other to admit the upper boardrof the box b or C between them.

7e krepresent guards, projecting downward from each In order to form a scaffold, the boxes b andO'areu unf'astened from each other and separated a suitable distance. The 'platform H is then laid' above the ex tension-frame, with its ends 'resting on the boxes b and C, the tops of .the latter being 'inserted between the cleats hand It. The legs B and braces D are then adj usted with reference to each other, and thescaii'old Sometimes, instead ofthe hinged legs'B, I attach a second set of steps, similar to A, thus enabling the workman to mountthe scaffold at either end.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'- L. In combination with a step-ladder, divided ver;l v

tieally and transversely through the upper stepkthe extensible frame E, substantially Aas shown and described.

2. In combination, the ladder A, legs B, boxes b C, extensible frame E, and bracing-platforl'n H, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim t-he above, I have hereunto subscribed my 'name in the presence of two Wit,-

nes'ses. JNO. HUGHES.

Witnesses: l l

G. W. MCLEAN, J. E. Wasn.

They are designed to assist in keeping theA 

